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Monday, May 18, 2020

We moved to Hawaii over a year ago and I am still in awe over how beautiful it is. One of the first thoughts I had was, how amazing would it be to run here!
While it is a bummer that my knee can no longer handle running, that is not stopping me from logging the miles and enjoying the scenery. In fact, we have gotten into the habit of walking almost daily to the beach which is about 3 1/2 miles round trip!

For Motivation Monday, I am taking us back to November. Back in November, we officially walked a virtual 5K with the FASTer Way community for our traditional Thanksgiving Day activity. We looked for a local event to join, but there really wasn't any planned for the actual day and sadly, the ones that were did not have a walk option.

So we planned our own!

It was always so important to pick out the right run outfit, so just for fun, the night before I laid out my 5K outfit.

In true 5K fashion, we headed out early, took #walkfies along the way and logged our walk route. It was perfect!

The FASter Way 5K was part of a challenge in the FASTer Way to Fat Loss VIP community. For 5 weeks the VIP community trained together, motivated each other and supported each other. I loved that we did this as a community. The veteran runners were able to go out and do their thing, the new runners leaned on each other through the training days and for those of us that walked, we were 100% embraced and recognized for our accomplishments, too.

One thing that I have learned through all this is that you have to keep moving forward. Even when there is change or injury or whatever road block might be put in front of you, you just have to do what you can, when you can. Feel good about that. Embrace that. Focus on what you CAN do, rather than what you can't. No excuses!

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Over Lent, my husband and I planked every day for one minute and spent that minute thinking about what we are grateful for. Normally, we give up something for 40 days, but this year we decided to add something positive to our daily lives. Some days we forgot, so we doubled up the next day and sometimes we planked before crawling into bed. It wasn't a perfect 40 days (although we didn't take any Mulligans either), but we enjoyed it so much that we decided to keep it going. We bumped up our time and have continued to plank every day.

I am thrilled to announce that I have opened a FREE plank challenge to help you build a stronger core. This is a trying time for everyone who is stuck at home, shut out of their gyms, missing their normal workouts and I want to help. This FUN 30-day challenge can easily be done at home and added to your existing workout routine. The plank exercises will progressively challenge ALL of your core muscles day to day, week to week.Are you in?Join me for the 30 Days of Planking Challenge! This is what you'll get:

Achievable and challenging daily plank exercises

Weekend bonuses

Private Facebook Community

Daily encouragement and more!

You get all of this FREE!!

This 30-day challenge starts with basic planking to get the key muscle groups working together in your core. (Can’t do a plank yet? Start by doing it on your knees, not your toes) Then, you’ll add to the challenge by doing different plank exercises each day. Each week will engage more muscles getting progressively harder.

We will be doing a different plank exercise every day and each week will get progressively more challenging. On the weekends you will be given on optional bonus exercise to do.

The point is to challenge yourself mentally and physically and to get out of your comfort zone.Join today by requesting access to the private plank challenge group ---> here.Comment below with your answers:
Do you prefer to plank or do sit-ups?
How long can you hold a plank?
What is harder, standard plank or forearm plank?

Friday, April 24, 2020

Today I want to talk about health and wellness. Shocker! But seriously, I found out this week that the stay at home order in Hawaii has been extended until the end of May. It was supposed to expire at the end of April and I was really looking forward to things returning back to normal.

You may be getting similar news where you are. Are you?

While this is a difficult time, it doesn't mean that we should stop focusing on our health and wellness. Our HEALTH is not quarantined.

Things happen to us, they always have and always will. Things that are out of our control. Things that make our lives more complicated and challenging.

We can choose how to respond. We can decide what actions we are going to take when things happen to us.

Right now, we can still focus on out nutrition, exercise, self-care and positive mindset. Just because our daily routine has changed, does not mean that our health and wellness is less important. It is actually, even more important to focus on how we are going to stay healthy.

You can choose to eat whole foods that are going to help you naturally detox your body and system.
You can choose to move and exercise for 30 minutes each day.
You can choose to stay committed to a routine so that you get enough sleep and take time to relax.
You can choose to look at the situation with positive thoughts.

Our thoughts become words and our words become actions. We control how we respond. Our health is not quarantined.

If working on your healthy living is something you are interested in, but you feel lost as to where or how to begin, I can help you with that. I help women and men escape the frustration of not knowing what to do to get healthy, fight disease and feel engerized by coaching them through the FASTer Way program (learn more about my next round here).

My clients are THRIVING right now because they know what to do. They are focused on their nutrition, exercise, self-care and mindset. You can to!

How are you focusing on your health and wellness? Share in the comments.

Sunday, April 19, 2020

You may or may not know this about me, but I DO NOT MEAL PREP, not usually. I do not chop and pre-portion and freeze at my house. I might batch cook or use the cook once, eat twice method, but that is about as elaborate as my meal prep gets.

I one hundred percent consider grocery shopping a major part of my meal prep and by that I mean that I'm going to take full advantage of what I can find already prepped for me at the grocery.Yesterday, we spent the morning paddle boarding (you might have seen what happened to us in my IG stories) and then made our weekly trip to the grocery. It's probably the same for you right now ---> grab your cart and disinfect, wait in line because the store is capping the number of people who can be inside, put on your face mask and then try to shop while staying 6 feet away from everyone else. It's a lot more time consuming!

For dinner, neither one of us felt like spending a bunch of time in the kitchen, on top of the fact that we had not thawed any protein. Enter Super Simple Chicken Tacos and I mean simple!

One of my best tips for staying on track with your wellness goals while also keeping it simple so you don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen (unless you want to) is to buy pre-cooked protein. I buy pre-cooked shredded chicken for the days when I don’t feel like cooking (or when I forget to thaw the chicken 🤪). *be sure to check the ingredients to make sure nothing has been added (like sugar) that you don't needHeat up the chicken in a skillet in under 10 minutes, add the taco seasoning and bam! Choose your toppings and serve how you like. I had lettuce cups and mrC had wraps. Super simple and simply delicious!

Following a healthy lifestyle, like the FASTer Way, does require you to be a chef or make magic happen in the kitchen. To be successful, your meal planning and food prep needs to work with your family routine. It doesn't matter how you do it, as long as you DO IT because failure to plan = planning to fail.

Have questions or want to know more about FASTer Way.
Leave a comment, send me a message or click here!

Friday, April 17, 2020

Carb cycling is the intentional variation of carb intake. When you cycle, you alternate between high carb and low carb days. If you are following the recommended daily nutrition, 45-50% of your calories should come from carbohydrates. On a low carb day, this might drop down to 10-15%.

I know a lot of people are following low carb diets, but many find that it is not sustainable. In this video I talk about why I think carb cycling is better than low carb dieting.

When being strategic about how and when you eat your carbs, you will find that you have more energy and get better results from your workouts. By carb cycling, my clients continue to see fat loss and improvements to their overall body composition, all without sabotaging their hormones and metabolism. ⁣

Here are three reasons I love carb cycling:

1. I get the full benefit of the low carb days without worrying that I will damage my body.

2. I enjoy all the carbs, like fruit, sweet potatoes, quinoa and rice, knowing that what I eat is rebuilding my energy stores so that I can get through my day, my workout and more.

3. The pattern of carb cycling is easy to follow and sustainable because it gives me food freedom. I never feel deprived because low carb days are temporary.

Carb Cycling is one of the strategies that we use in the FASTer Way to Fat Loss program to promote natural fat burning and muscle growth.

Friday, March 20, 2020

Social distancing is affecting all of us in different ways. In Hawaii, schools are closed, parks are closed and there is talk of making all visitors mandatory quarantine for 14 days on arrival.

For me, not much has changed since I now work from home, but the stuff going on outside is a little crazy.

I have seen many people posting on social media about how this is a stressful time. And it is. So I want to talk to you today about stress.

During stressful times, you might be tempted to give into stress eating. This is a common way for many of us to find comfort during times of anxiety. Not only does it curtail progress toward our health goals, but it also can negatively impact our immune system. Others might be tempted to work out to de-stress and often times begin over-exercising.

Both of these things actually add to your body's stress.

Think about it...

Normally, our bodies can handle a certain amount of stress. Imagine that you have a stress bucket - everyday life goes into that bucket and you’re probably thinking about things like dealing with kids or family members at home, work stress, traffic issues that might make you late, worrying about loved ones and friends who might be going through something, paying bills. Things like that.

But what also goes into your stress bucket that impacts the stress on your body are things like not getting enough sleep or not sleeping well, not slowing down and taking a break, not eating well, not exercising or exercising too much.

All of these thing fill up our bucket and can make it overflow every day, every single NORMAL day

Now think about where we are today, the added stresses we are dealing with being home from work, working from home for the first time, with kids or family to take care of, worried about getting sick, paying bills…the list seems endless.

So today, when you think about or catch yourself stress eatingor turning to exercise to relieve your stress, think about your stress bucket.

Instead focus on eating healthy. Snack on whole foods that are going to boost your immunity like fruits and veggies. Try yoga or meditation or a walk to destress - so your body and cortisol levels have a chance to calm down.

There is A LOT that we can’t control right now, but we can control how we treat our bodies.

I am still working with my clients through the FASTer Way program and I can tell you honestly that they are feeling good and feeling calm because they are learning how to fuel their bodies to get well and fight disease. They are learning how to exercise enough to burn fat and build muscle but protect cortisol levels. They are learning to listen to their bodies and dial it back when they need to.

Friday, March 13, 2020

Every year, mrC and I try to spend our anniversary somewhere new or doing something new. In the past we have spent the day leaf peeping on the Kancamagus Highway, running a few races together, driving to the top of Mt. Washington and lots more.

Back in October, mrC took me over to Maui for a couple of days for our anniversary and more recently for a quick whale watching trip. Both times we stayed in Lahaina at the Pioneer Inn. The town of Lahaina reminds me so much of Newport, RI ---> right on the water, cruise ships and boats in the harbor and streets lined with shops, restaurants and pedestrians. It just has a good vibe.

The Pioneer Inn is an older but quaint large inn right in the heart of Lahiana with views of the water, an attached restaurant and the nicest people work there. I love the rocking chairs on the lanais (even though they tip back dangerously easy!).

On our first trip to Maui we had more time to explore. We found acai bowls at Baya Bowls and if you know me, this was a priority! They were very good, but the location was off the main drag and the seating was limited on shade which is a big deal on a hot day in Hawaii! We strolled under the historic Banyan Tree which is the largest in the USA. We found plenty of good food and great views at Cheeseburger in Paradise, Kimo's, and Lahaina Fish Co.

One highlight was snorkeling at Baby Beach. We walked about a mile from the hotel to the secluded beach used mostly by local families. The beach is protected by a long reef creating a perfect place for spotting fish in the shallow and warm water.

Never ones to pass up an active experience, mrC booked us on a Haleakala Sunrise Bike Tour. Much like our Sunrise Trek up Mt. Batur in Bali (read about that here), we were picked up around 3am at our hotel and transported to the top of Haleakala in time to see the sun come up.

After a the stunning sunrise, we took a tour around the summit and then began our descending bike ride back down the volcano to Haiku. It was super fun!!

Last month we went back for a quick two days basically for whale watching, but we explored a bit more too. We enjoyed a light breakfast on the water and then watched some group surfing lessons. It definitely looked like great place for newbies to get their feet wet 😉

Thanks to the early flight out of Honolulu, we were able to book the morning whale watching tour out of Lahaina and it was AMAZING!! I highly recommend visiting Maui in the winter and taking a whale watching tour. We booked with Pacific Whale Foundation and they did a great job.

The next day we hopped on local bus #28 for a ride to the nearby town of Ka'anapali which is where a lot of large hotel resorts are located, one on top of the other. It's like a mini Waikiki.

It was nice to check out the shops and restaurants at Whaler's Village (I even got a henna tattoo), basically an outdoor mall, but the highlight was mrC spotting breaching whales during our beach front walk!

Most importantly, we enjoyed more amazing food on this trip. I think we found our favorite Lahaina acai bowl at Breakwall Shave Ice and it had lots of seating options in the courtyard of The Wharf off Front Street. It was so good, we had it both days. We were back for some delicious ono grilled fish at Lahaina Fish Co and more ono at Captain Jack's Island Grill.

As usual, we left Maui with more items on our Maui bucket list, so we will be back!

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

For the month of February, I dipped into plant based living for the first time with the FASTer Way VIP Community (I am a member and a coach). I was looking forward to giving it a try to see what, if any effects it would have on me. Plus, both of my step daughters are plant based so I was excited to learn more about their lifestyle.

My goals going into the month were pretty simple:

increase my veggie consumption

reduce my meat and poultry intake

try new recipes

I really expected to eat a pescatarian diet throughout the month. Most of my life I've been pretty picky about vegetables, so I thought if I didn't at least have some fish I'd probably be starving!

Not exactly!

The great thing about this plant-based challenge, was that we had LIVE trainings in the VIP community to help us navigate our way. This was so helpful for someone like me who was brand new to all things plant based! Each online training was meant to help us learn more about the lifestyle, understand the benefits and the effects. Our training topics included:

A plant based Q&A

The science behind plant-based living with Dr. Stephen Cabral

Why being regular is important!

Review of the documentary, Game Changers with Dr. Alex

So, how did it go? I was not plant based 100% of the time. I had eggs a couple of times, some cheese on a cauliflower crust pizza and a few meals with fish. Most of those happened when we were traveling. However, I did not have meat or poultry at all, and made it a point to eat veggies at almost every meal.

One thing that made this easier for me was that mrC was totally on board with trying plant based month, too. We initially became curious about the benefits after watching the documentary Game Changers.

Here are my top five takeaways:

Definitely felt the benefit of more fiber! Gassy and a little bloated at the beginning but definitely regular. Regular people and happy people!

My bad knee which always feels swollen, even though it doesn't look swollen, began feeling almost normal and was overall less cranky. This was a HUGE win for me.

I'm a pretty good sleeper in general, but I have been sleeping through the night and skipping the early morning wake-ups to use the bathroom.

I need more veggies in my life! This challenge has made me more aware of ways I can sneak more veggies into all of my meals.

There are a lot of really good plant based recipes that I will keep in my recipe file!

Moving forward, neither of us are in a rush to go back to our old diet of chicken and turkey and lean beef with nearly every meal, but we will be eating fish again. Plant based month has been great for getting more veggies in our lives. There is no downside to eating more fruits and vegetables.Are you plant based or tried it?I'd love to know your thoughts or your favorite recipe.Share your comments and questions below!

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

This month I have been diving into plant-based eating. I'm doing this for a couple of reasons:

1. February is heart month and it is said that eating more plants and less meat is good for your heart among many other things like cancer prevention, boosted energy, neurological disease prevention

2. My step-daughters live plant-based lifestyles, so this will give me more insight into what they are eating and what we can prepare when we are together

3. I'm taking on this challenge with the FASTer Way community, so I am not alone as I navigate my way into a new way of eating.

Most of my recipes are found online or come from the FASTer Way meal plan. I love this smoothie that Jennifer Garner shared on social media. Plant based, great for low carb days and I almost always have all of the ingredients on hand!

Now, you don't have be a plant-based eater to enjoy this smoothie. I made it plenty of times before taking the plant-based challenge. I mean, it's just packed with healthy whole foods. Plus, it is absolutely delicious!

1 or 2 scoops chocolate protein (I love this one because it’s even good as a shake with just water!)

Sunday, February 23, 2020

One thing I love to do on Sundays is catch up on my favorite podcasts. This is one of my forms of self-care because I listen while I take a walk or an easy spin on my bike and I always learn something new.

I recently listened to the FASTer Way to Fat Loss podcast episode How Tiny Habits Lead to Big Changes and heard many points speaking to me. I shared this podcast when my new clients and I highly recommend it to anyone who is trying to create healthy habits or eliminate unhealthy habits.

My favorite takeaways:

Success momentum - small wins carry over. It's the frequency of success matters, not the size that matters. Frequency and recency. So looking for and celebrating those small victories each day will help you stay motivated. Every day I remind my clients to focus on what went well and every Friday I ask them to share their biggest wins from the week. It is truly one of my favorite days. This doesn't mean that we ignore the things that could go better. It just means that we make a point to celebrate what was good.

Pearl habits - take an irritation (the prompt) and turn it into positive behavior. The name of this habit comes the way pearl are made: a little piece of sand gets inside the oyster. The oyster is irritated by the sand, so it rubs it and coats it until it eventually becomes a pearl. This habit is a great way to quickly shift your mindset from something negative to something positive. For example, when my clients are upset that they are too busy at work or home to get in a full workout, I remind them of all the ways they can fit in movement throughout the day along with all the healthy eating they can focus on.

I loved this podcast because it shared tips for how to keep a positive mindset. When we are on a journey, there are going to be ups and downs. That's life. The tips that Dr. Cabral shares are practical and will help turn negatives into positives, so that we can continue to make changes and see progress.

No matter what you do today, I hope you take a little time to do something for yourself!

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Do you love General Tso chicken, but wish there was a healthier version? I’ve been searching for a healthier alternative to the entree that we all know and love. Mostly they’re all OK, but not crispy enough. This recipe by Vegetarian Times hit the spot!Now I'm not vegan, but I am trying to eat more plant based this month with the FASTer Way VIP community as part of a challenge. It's good for my cholesterol and the planet :) Seriously though, this tofu dish is very, very tasty!

Pic from Vegetarian Times

Ingredients

Crispy Tofu

1 16-oz. pkg. firm tofu, drained

2 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce

2 tsp. rice vinegar

1 tsp. mirin (rice wine)

1 tsp. vegetable oil

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger

1 Tbs. cornstarch

Sauce

1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

2 Tbs. sugar

1 1/2 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce

4 tsp. mirin (rice wine)

2 tsp. rice vinegar

2 tsp. sesame oil

2 tsp. cornstarch

1 1/2 tsp. tomato paste

1/2 tsp. sambal oelek chile paste, optional

2 tsp. vegetable oil

4 green onions, green parts chopped (1/3 cup)

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger

Preparation

To make Crispy Tofu:

Cut tofu block into two broad slabs. Wrap tofu slabs in paper towels, and place between two cutting boards. Weight top cutting board with soup cans, and press 30 minutes. Unwrap tofu, and cut into 1-inch cubes.

Preheat oven to 350°F, and coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Sift cornstarch over tofu, and turn to coat evenly. Spread tofu on baking sheet. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until firm and crispy, turning several times to brown all sides.

Thursday, January 30, 2020

What if there was a nutrition road map that you could follow that showed you exactly how to get healthy, lose weight and fight disease. Everything you need to know is on the map. All you have to do is follow it.

Would you follow the map?

That's what I did.

FASTer Way gave me the wheel to drive myself to health.

I have been a certified coach for over a year now and I help my clients use the FASTer Way map to reach their health and wellness goals: lose weight, change body composition, get stronger, have more energy.

In the following video, I share one big tip that will help you if you are working toward getting healthy, losing weight and fighting disease.

You can learn more about the FASTer Way program and my next round on this page.

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Last week, I shared a poll on Instagram asking, what is your biggest struggle when it comes to weight loss? and the majority answered exercise.

When it comes to exercise struggles, it really comes down to three things: time, knowing what to do, and it’s really not about exercise, its nutrition.

So today I want to share how I can help you address those struggles through the FASTer Way to Fat Loss if you find yourself facing one of them.

Many people think they don’t have time to exercise and I get that. Sometimes life is just overwhelmingly busy. The great thing about the FASTer Way is that the workouts only take 30 minutes or less. The even greater thing is that if you don’t have a 30 minute block of time, you can totally do 10 or 15 minutes exercise and still get the benefits.

If exercise is a struggle for you because you don’t know what to do, the FASTer Way workouts are written by certified personal trainers so that you get the biggest bang for your buck in 30 minutes. They know that your time is valuable. FASTer Way strategically uses exercise so that you can work out less, but get GREATER results.

Finally, a lot of people are exercising but not getting results and blame it on the exercise when the truth is it might just be how and what you are eating. You can spend hours exercising at the gym or running miles and miles, but if you are not fueling yourself properly, you are not going to get maximum results.

My clients are learning how to fuel their bodies and how to pair what they eat to their workouts. They are getting amazing results. They are losing fat, building muscle, and are stronger and more energized than ever. And quite frankly, they love the FASTer Way workouts because they have time to do them and they know exactly what to do.

Do you want to exercise less but get results? Do you want a work out plan that Is laid out for you so you know exactly what to do? I can help you with these struggles plus show you how to fuel your body properly through the FASTer Way program. When you go through the FASTer Way with me I will teach you how to fuel your body properly so that you get the results you want from your workouts. You will eat more and exercise less.

Friday, January 24, 2020

This recipe is inspired by a meal from the FASTer Way meal plan. For more information about the FASTer Way program, go here ---> FASTer Way with AmyC

This recipe is all about the CARBS! In this recipe, I have made a delicious smoothie using frozen berries, almond milk, spinach, Greek yogurt and protein powder. Then topped with more berries, banana, nuts, seeds, honey and granola.

I am a big fan of DIY smoothie bowls (and acai bowls). These bowls are so versatile and are my favorite way to break my fast the day after low carb day. Seriously, in the FASTer Way, we are not shy about our carbs!

Carbohydrates are one of the body's main sources of energy and plays an important role in protecting our metabolism. So, if you are looking for a way to boost your carbs today, look no further than this amazing recipe.Adding nuts and seeds to your smoothie, either when you blend or as toppings, is a great way to boost your fiber and healthy fats. Fiber helps control our insulin response to glucose. Healthy fats are the body's other main source of energy.You really can't find a healthier way to enjoy a smoothie!

Smoothie

1 cup frozen berries

1 scoop protein

1 tbsp Greek yogurt

1 cup baby spinach

3/4 cup almond milk

Toppings

1 tsp chia seeds

Hemp seeds

Pumpkin seeds

Walnuts

Almonds

1 tbsp granola

1/2 banana (sliced)

1/8 cup each raspberries, blueberries, blackberries

1 tbsp honey

Nutrition info: 71g carbs, 10g fat, 20g protein, 18g fiber

Obviously, you can switch up the toppings to suit your own tastes, sensitivities and season. If you try it or use it as inspiration for your own, let me know in the comments!

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Low carb days in the FASTer Way mean lots of protein and healthy fats. I like to plan salmon dishes on my low carb days to help hit my goals for the day. To be honest, I rarely make my salmon any other way since finding this super yummy recipe on Delish (dot) com.The recipe calls for you to bake the salmon on a bed of lemon slices, but I skip this step most weeks because it's fine without it and I'm all about keeping things simple. I usually serve the salmon with steamed broccoli and mashed cauliflower to stay within my low carb day goals, but it would be delicious with rice or quinoa, too.

INGREDIENTS

2 lemons, thinly sliced

1 large salmon fillet (about 3 lb.)

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

6 tbsp. butter, melted

2 tbsp. honey

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. chopped thyme leaves

1 tsp. dried oregano

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and grease with cooking spray. To the center of the foil, lay lemon slices in an even layer.

Season both sides of the salmon with salt and pepper and place on top of lemon slices.

In a small bowl, whisk together butter, honey, garlic, thyme, and oregano. Pour over salmon then fold up foil around the salmon. Bake until the salmon is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Switch the oven to broil, and broil for 2 minutes, or until the butter mixture has thickened.

Garnish with parsley before serving.

The other thing I love about this recipe is that everything is baked in foil, so clean up is a breeze! That leaves me more time for my FASTer Way low carb day workouts!!

Let me know if you give it a go!

You can learn more about the FASTer Way program and when my next amazing group starts -> here.

Monday, January 6, 2020

There is a lot of talk about intermittent fasting these days, especially since so many celebrities are coming out and talking about their experiences with it. You may have seen Hoda and Jenna talking about it on the Today show or maybe you read about Jennifer Garner, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Anniston - all the stars named Jennifer are doing it. Perhaps you have seen the recent medical research in the New England Journal of Medicine that just came out last week about the Johns Hopkins study.

In the FASTer Way to Fat Loss, we have been practicing intermittent fasting for over four years as a community. It is by far the most popular strategy amongst my clients.

If you’re a fan of intermittent fasting, let me know in the comments!

Despite its growing popularity and the amazing benefits, there are a lot of people who are intimidated by the word fasting.

Today, I want to tell you why you don’t have to be afraid of F word.

When people hear the F word, they often react out of fear:

Fear that they will starve

Fear that they will have to give up their coffee

Fear that they will have to give up their favorite breakfast foods

Fear that it will be too hard

Fear that they won’t have enough energy

But there is no reason to be afraid.

First of all intermittent fasting is not about how much you eat, it’s about WHEN you eat. You will still eat all the food you’re supposed to, you will just do it in a smaller window of time. Everyone should be fasting daily for 12 hours, but you can adjust that protocol to increase the benefits by extending the fasting window to 16/8 or even 20/4. Intermittent fasting is an eating schedule and should be done with guidance from a certified coach because if not done properly, extended fasting can damage hormone health.

When you practice intermittent fasting, your goal is to consume only water but you can have your coffee. There are some rules regarding the kind of coffee you can have during your fasting window, but you do not have to quit coffee to do intermittent fasting.

If you are like me and love breakfast, you do not have give up your favorite breakfast foods either. I usually break my fast between 11-12pm, and if I want protein pancakes and eggs, that’s what I have. It’s basically brunch. You can also have breakfast food for dinner if you want. Intermittent fasting will not change what you eat, just when you eat.

When you begin intermittent fasting, I recommend easing into it. I teach my new clients to fast for as long as they can with the goal being 16 hours. We follow the 16/8 protocol in the FASTer Way to Fat Loss, but many clients start off doing 12/12 or 14/10 to give their bodies a chance to adjust. If you dive right into 16 hours, it might feel hard. It might also feel hard if you are not eating enough during your eating window. This is another reason I recommend trying intermittent fasting under the guidance of a certified coach. If you are fasting and under-eating, you could do damage to your hormones.

Once your body switches from being a sugar burner to a fat burner, you will have plenty of energy to get through your day and to get through your workout. The key is to eat enough, to eat the right foods, whole foods, and to ease into intermittent fasting.

If you would like to learn how to implement intermittent fasting, along with other nutritional strategies, my next group of the FASTer Way starts soon.

When you register you will get immediate access to the materials until we will start prep week. In addition to intermittent fasting, you will learn about whole food nutrition, macro tracking and carb cycling. You will learn to pair your workouts to get the best results. I will show you how to eat more and workout less AND get results.

Let me know if you have any questions! If you have experience with IF, let me know in the comments.

I have the perfect recipe for you if you are trying to create a healthy and sustainable lifestyle, wanting to fight disease without using medicinal methods or feeling frustrated by not getting results when you feel like you are doing everything right.

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Yesterday I was really hoping to break my fast with an acai bowl, but our top two favorite places to get them were closed for the holiday - which I actually love! I love that the employees had the day to spend with family and friends.

So today, I am looking forward to getting that acai bowl!

Now I know some of you watching will be thinking that all those carbs are surely going to set me back or make me fat, and I know that there are tons of programs out there promoting the elimination of carbs to lose weight, but the truth is…carbs are not the enemy!

For too long we have been made to believe that carbs are bad but the truth is our bodies NEED carbohydrates in order to perform optimally.

Carbs are important to our overall hormone health, to our energy levels (especially the more active we are) and to our mood!

Now it is true that not all carbs are created equally. This is one of the biggest lessons my clients have to learn when they go through the FASTer Way with me.

Instead we should be eating fruits and veggies that are high in fiber, quinoa and rice, oats, potatoes and sweet potatoes. Our carbs should be real, whole foods.

In the FASTer Way, we do not believe in eliminating carbs. When we do that, we are lowering our overall calories and possibly under-eating, we are depriving our bodies of important nutrients, and causing our energy to be low and cravings high.

In the FASTer Way to Fat Loss, we cycle our carbs which allows us to deplete our glycogen and tap into fat stores for fuel but then we rebuild our energy stores and protect our hormones by adding carbs back into our day.

Now, as much as I want to let you know that you need carbs in your life and if you have eliminated them I hope you will consider bringing them back…I also don’t want to leave the rest of you thinking that you have to completely eliminate cookies and ice cream and donuts from your life either. It’s about eating the right carbs, the good carbs most of the time and enjoying the occasional treat strategically that will help you reach your goals.

Remember to keep in mind that carbs are not the enemy. Some just happen to be healthier for you than others. If your goal is to lose weight, let me teach you how. Learn more about my next round of FASTer Way to Fat Loss by clicking here.

I will teach you how to eat the right amount of carbs, the right type of carbs and how to cycle your carbs for the best results.

If you have questions or concerns on this topic, let me know. I would love to chat with you more!

Now, I would love to know, what are your favorite carbs to fuel up on?

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Welcome!

Hi! I’m Amy, a fitness blogger and Certified Coach for FASTer Way to Fat Loss living in Hawaii. I used to run, but then I had knee surgery. Now I'm running through life one fitness adventure at a time! Follow me on my adventures in fitness, nutrition and anything else that sounds fun!